No-Spend 2012 Challenge

Carla over at My 1/2 Dozen Daily has started a No-Spend 2012 Challenge which I excited to join!

After updating our debt balances (and being shocked by the total), I am determined and desperate to get focused on our finances.  And I think that this challenge is the perfect way to start.

The challenge starts on January 1, 2012.  Carla has put together a set of rules that she will be following during the challenge and I've taken a few from her list to add to my rules:

1. Track purchases! Write down every single penny we spend!
2. Menu plan & shop from a list!
3. Find free & cheap activities to have fun!
4. De-clutter my closet by selling items that I am no longer using.
5. Medicines/medical care doesn’t count. If something comes up & we need meds, I’m buying them.
6. No “pre-stocking-up”. I won’t spend $800 on groceries the week before my challenge starts in order to “get by”. It’s business as usual this month.
7. No coffee shop purchases, this means no coffee, muffins or donuts.
8. Limit myself to buying lunch only ONCE a week (this is huge considering I sometimes buy lunch a few times a week)

Check out her post if you want to know more about the challenge and perhaps join as well.